Combination book rest and stand



Feb. 21, 1933. M. ISAACSON 1,898,666

COMBINATION BOOK REST AND STAND Filed Dec. 8, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR [Va/Wis fsaacswz ATI'ORNEY Feb. 21, 1933. M. ISAACSON 1,898,666

COMBINATION BOOK BEST AND STAND Filed Dec. 8, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V E NT 0 R florrz's [Saaasan ATTO R N EY Patented Feb. ,21, 1933 I UNITED STATES MORRIS ISAACSON, or BROOKLYN, new YORK COMBINATION BOOK 'REST AND STAND Application filed December 8, 1931. Serial 16. 579x74.

This invention relates to book rests adapted for the use and convenience of persons in sitting or reclining positions, and is an improvement of my patent for adjustable book rests issued on September 1, 1931 Patent No. 1,821,060.

One of the objects of this invention is to relieve a person lying in bed or sitting in a chair of the necessity of holding in his hands a book he is reading. Another object is to provide, in a device of this kind and in combination with the stand thereof, a

table positioned handily with respect to the reader and whereupon can be placed books or other articles to which ready access can be had. A further object of my invention is to provide, in a book rest of this type,

adjusting means for readily varying the position and angle of the book to suit the 0 reader, and "adjustable clamping means to enable the device to be secured to difi'erent- 1y positioned and'variously shaped and sized supports.

It is still another object of this invention to enable the vertical adjustment of the stand to be made with little effort and with a minimum of noise. A further object is to provide means to limit the rotary movementof the book supporting member about its horizontal axis to an arc of approximately 90 degrees, so as to keep the book from sliding down or toppling over.

Another object of my invention is to pro- 'vide means for vertically adjusting a reflector light without interfering with the horizontal movement of the book rest, and for keeping the conducting wire protected and free from entanglement.

And still ,a further object is to provide for books of different thicknesses, simple and secure means to hold and support the pages of the book to prevent a downward sag, and to keep the book fixed in its open position.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings, and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the combination book rest and stand comprising my invention, showing an open book thereon and a closed book on the table; and illustrating the operative and inoperative positions of the page holders.

\ Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the device, showing two positions of the book supporting member.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of Figure 2 taken along line 3-3.

Figure 4 is a rear view of the back rest pivotally connected to the vertically adjust-. able supporting rod.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the book supporting member resting on an horizontal surface, the base plate and supporting rod being removed.

Figure 6 is a section of the bracket arrangement of Figure 5 taken along line 66. I

Figure 7 is a perspective of the adjustable 7 clamp attached to the arm of a chair, showing three relative positions of the clamp and the supporting rod associated with the book, supporting member.

In the drawings, the supporting member 7 10, which isthe support proper for the book 11, comprises a back rest 12 and a flanged bottom rest 13 through. which extends the telescopic page holders 14. These consist of two slidably engageable tubes 15 and 16, to

the former of which is attached the knob 17 and the spring member or yieldable finger 18. The helical spring 19,which can also .be an elastic band, is secured to the inner tube 15 at some suitable point such as 20, the other end being attached to the outer tube 16 in some suitable way such as by engagement' with the pin 21.

On the under side of the back rest 12 are two parallel rails 23 and 24, shown in the drawings as channel bars suitably secured to the member 10. In slidable engagement with these rails is the base plate 25, serving as an adjustable support for said member 10. This plate contains, preferably integral therewith, the extension 26 adapted for frictional engagement with the bifurcated upper end 27 of the supporting rod 28. To procure proper frictional engagement, the washers 29 are inserted between the ears of said bifurcated portion and said extension 26; and the carria e bolt 30 with square shank 31 is engageab c with the wing nut 32. The slit 33 in-the said rod 28 gives a certain de- 5 gree of elasticity to the structure, resulting rearwardly.

low stem 38 which is The reflector light 37 is secured to the holivotally attached to the tubular elbow 39, the wing nut 40 being used to frictionally hold stem 38 in its projected position. The said elbow 39 contains, 1n threaded engagement therewith, the hollow extension tube 41,. which is in slidable engagement with the guiding member or outer tube 42, secured to the back side of member 10 and preferably positioned within a groove therein. The spring attachment 43 is afiixed to outer tube 42 and is yieldably and frictionally'held against the extension tug: 41 through the opening 44 in said outer tu Inserted in the hollow extension rod 43a is the rod 28, the expanded ortion or collar 44a of which restsupon t e upper end of said extension rod, the annular grooved 'rrtion 45 being adapted to receive and rictionally engage the set screw 46a. It is thus obvious that bya manipulation of said set screw, the rod 28 and consequently member 10 can be frictionally held fixed against rotar movement: about the vertical axis of ro 43a. p

The stand 46' contains a tubular upright 47 into which is slidably inserted the extension rod 43a having its closed bottom end 48 restin upon the helical spring 49 contained within the said upri ht 47. This spring serves not only the cushioning'device to prevent a sudden drop of rod 43a and a noisy impact with the base of the stand, but also serves to facilitate the raising of the extension rod, due to, the upward pressure exerted by the spring when in compression. The set 'screw 50 is ada ted to, frictionally engage rod 43a to hold it ,in a predetermined vertical position against upright 47.

Shdably mounted over the extensionrod 430: is the table 51 and its supporting bracket 52 which is' frictionally and slidably held in place along said rod 430. by the set screw 53. This table is used to support a book or p other article thereon, and being on the stand and adjustable vertically and rotatably auction of a 1,ees,eae

ciently handy to a person using this device to enable him to have ready access to another book that he may wish to place on the book rest.

It will be noted that an electric conductor 54 can be inserted in the extension tube 41 to pass through the elbow 39 and the stem 38 to the reflector light. As the tube 41 underlies the rails 23 and 24, and the bottom thereof extends below rail 24, the wire 54 which enters the said bottom end is housed by tube 41, is free frominterference or engagement with the base plate 25 or extension piece 26 during a horizontal movementof member 10, thereby preventing entanglement or cutting. of this wire.

The page holders 14 are adjustable to books' of different thicknesses, as the telescopic arrangement permits the distance between the finger l8 and the back rest to be varied as may be necessary. As the inner tube 15 extends for a distance within the outer tube 16, the two are always in axial alignment, producing a firm construction and practically preventing lateral movement. To brin the page holders into their about the axis thereof, it can be made sufii- I inoperative positions, the knob 17 is turned,

thereby rotatably carrying the finger'l8 with it and out of contact with the pages of the book and to its position against the front surface of the bottom rest 13.

The spring arrangement 19 within the tubes of the page holder not only serves to hold the book in its open position, but also helps the fingers 18 to keep the book firmly in lace against the back rest. Should the boo be a thick one extending out beyond the bottom rest 13, the extended portion of the tubes 15 will underly the protruding portion of the book and help to support it. The fact that a considerable portion of'the inner tube 15 extends into and is supported by the outertube 16, and the entire page holder assembly 14 is supported by the bottom rest, results in a construction sufiiciently strong to support a book of considerable wei ht. 4

o aid in keeping the book from toppling ,over when member 10 is in a vertical posi- .tion, the elastic member 55 is employed. The ends of this member are secured to the back of the member 10, a book being held in place againstthe back rest by member 55 passing thereover throu h a pair of the slots 56 at the sides of the Eack rest. As there are a number of these slots running lengtlr of different sizes.

The book restportion proper, or member 10, can be removed from the stand and laced upon a table if desired, as illustrated in Figure 5. For this purpose,.the support 57 is employed, which is pivotally connected to the back rest by an arrangement comprising the brackets 58, the carriage bolts with square shanks 59, the washers 60, and nut 61 (see'Figure 6). It will be noted that each of the said brackets 58 contains a portion attached to the back rest and an outwardly extending portion bent back almost upon itself to form two parallel-walls 58a and 58b to receive, for frictional engagement, an upper end of the support 57 and the washers 60. This simple construction enables a frictional and pivotal adjustment of the support 57 to be made to suit the user, andv permits the inclination of the member 10 to be varied at will.

'To enable the book rest portion to be attached to a chair or other suitable support, the adjustable clamp 61a is used (-See Figure 7). This contains the clamp bolts 62 having thereon the padded saddles 63, the braces 64each having an arm 65 to supportv said bolts, and a parallel arm 66, both of said arms 66 being joined by the'cross bar 67 to which is attached the spherical rod holder 68. This holder has three mutually perpendicular intersecting holes extending therethrough and meeting in the center thereof to form an internal chamber which range nent permits the clamp 61a to be suitably supported in either an horizontal or vertical position so as to enable the supporting rod 28 to be vertically received by one of said three holes. As the set screw 69 extends into the said chamber in the spherical rod holder 68, it will serve to .frictionally hold the rod 28 in its projected position while in any of the said three holes, without the use of any other set screws. I

The combination of adjustable features in this device results in an exceedingly flexible arrangement, rendering a e book supported thereby capable of being easily and readily brought into any and every position suitable to the needs and convenience of the reader,

and limited only by the dimensions of the structure.

7 Other and different mechanical embodiments can be employed within the scope offrom the spirit of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a book supporting device, the combination of a back rest, a flanged bottom rest attached to said back rest, page holding means extending through and supported by said bottom rest, two parallel horizontally disposed rails secured to the rear of said back rest, a base plate in slidable engagement with said rails, a supporting rod pivotally secured to, said base plate, a recess at the rear of said back rest and underlying and extending in a direction transverse to said rails, and means positioned within said recess for housing electric conductors for a suitably positioned lamp.

2. Ina book supporting device, the combination of a book rest proper, a base plate thereunder, a supporting rod in pivotal engagement with said base plate, an adjustable clamp containing a spherical holder for said said supporting rod therein against movement.

3. In a book supporting device, the combination of a book rest proper, a base late thereunder, a supporting rod in pivota engagement with said base plate, an adjustable clamp havingtwo pa'rallel members, two

clamp bolts supported thereby, a cross bar joining said members, a spherical holder for said rod attached to and extending outwardly from said cross-bar, said holder containing three mutually perpendicular intersecting holes to slidably receive said rod, said holes running through said holder and forming an internal chamber in the center thereof, a threaded hole communicating with said chamber, and a set screw in engagement with said hole and extending into said chamher to frictionally hold the said supporting rod therein against movement. I j

4. In a book supporting device, the combination of abook rest proper, two horizontally disposed arallel rails secured to the rear of said boo rest, a base plate in slidable engagement with said rails, a supporting rod in pivotal engagement with said base plate, a recess at the rear of said back rest and underlying and extending in a direction transverse to said rails, means positioned within said recess for housing electric conductors for asuitably positioned lamp, an adjustable clamp containing a spherical holder for .said rod and containin three mutually per endicular intersecting holes to slidably recelve said rod, said holes running through said holder and forming an internal chamber in the center thereof, a threaded hole communicating with said chamber, and a set screw in engagement with said hole and extending into said chamber to frictionally hold the said supporting rod therein against movement.

5. In a book supporting device, 'the combination of a pivotally mounted book rest proper, two horizontally disposed parallel railssecured to the rear of said book rest, a base plate in slidable engagement with said rails, a supporting rod attached to said base plate, a recess at the rear of said book rest and underlying and extending in a direction transverse to said rails, said recess extending below the lower of said rails, means positioned within said. recess for housin electric conductors for a suitably positioned lamp, an adjustable clam containing a s herical holder for said ro and containing t ree mutually perpendicular intersecting holes to slidably receive said rod, said holes running through said holder and formin an internal chamber in the center thereo a threaded hole communicating with said chamber, and a set screw in engagement with said hole and extending into said chamber to frictionally hold the said supporting rod therein against movement.

6. In a book supporting device, the combination of a book rest proper, two parallel horizontally disposed rails secured to the rear thereof, a base plate in slidable engagement with said rails and having an extension piece therein, a supporting rod pivotally connected to said extension piece, a recess at the rear of said book rest and underlyingand extending in a direction transverse to said rails, means positioned within said recase for containing electric conductors for a suitably positioned lamp, and an adjustable clamp containing a spherical holder for said rod and containmg three mutually erpendicular intersectin holes to slida ly receive said rod, sai holes running through said holder and forming an internal chamber in the center thereof, a threaded hole communicating with saidchamber, and a set screw in engagement with said hole and extending into said chamber to frictionally hold the said supporting rod therein against movement. I

7. In a book supporting device, a back rest, a flanged bottom rest attached to said back rest, means associated with said back rest for yieldably holding a book against the back rest, a base plate movably secured to the underside of said back rest, a supporting rod in pivotal engagement withsaid base plate, and an adjustable clam containing a spherical holder for said ro and containing three mutually perpendicular intersecting holes to slidably receive said rod said holes running through said holder and forming an internal chamber in the center thereof, a threaded hole communicating with said chamber, and a set screw in engagement with said hole and extending into said chamber to frictionally hold the said supporting rod therein against movement.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MORRIS ISAACSON. 

